760618 - Lecture SB 07.06.02 - Toronto

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760618SB-TORONTO - June 18, 1976 - 30.03 Minutes

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads devotees in chanting etc.) (break)

yathā hi puruṣasyeha

viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam

yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ

priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt

(SB 7.6.2)

Translation: (00:47) "The human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings."

Prabhupāda:

yathā hi puruṣasyeha

viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam

yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ

priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt

(SB 7.6.2)

Jayādvaita: Could all the ladies please take their children outside, outside of earshot.

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata-dharma, yesterday we discussed, dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). From the beginning of life, from childhood, they should be given lessons on bhāgavata-dharma. The bhāgavata-dharma is very clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā should be read very carefully, attentively, from the beginning of life, childhood. Not that Bhagavad-gītā should be read in old age. No. From the very beginning of life. And whole Bhagavad-gītā is bhāgavata-dharma. And when one is well conversant with the Bhagavad-gītā or the lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, then the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins.

Bhāgavata-dharma means, as we have discussed yesterday morning, that Kṛṣṇa Himself is explaining bhāgavata-dharma. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi (BG 18.65). The real aim of life is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Generally, people do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). All the Vedic mantra says. The Ṛg Veda mantra says, om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the . . . everyone must meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu. Meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. I think you have seen many pictures that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the Supreme Lord is sitting in everyone's heart, and that Lord's mūrti form is Viṣṇu-mūrti. So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogī, what is their business? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Concentrating the mind, meditating upon the Viṣṇu-mūrti. Nowadays, they have invented some system of yoga, some light, something like that. But that is not the śāstric injunction. Śāstric injunction is to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. He's already there, and we have to search out. That is called meditation. That is called dhyāna.

But in this Kali-yuga it is little difficult. Why little? It is very, very difficult to sit down in one place and meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. Not only sit down in one place—it is recommended that we should sit down in a sacred place and in a secluded place. Not that it is a fashion, some hundreds of men sitting together and meditating. What meditating? That is not the process. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended to sit down in a sacred and secluded place. That is called dhyāna. And sitting in a right-angle posture and the eyes half-closed, not fully closed. If you fully close then you will sleep. I have seen so many yogīs snoring, sleeping. Yes. And naturally, if you close your eyes and you have no subject matter to think what will be this, you will sleep, that's all. That is not yoga system. You have to sit down in a secluded place, in what is called yoga-āsana, straight body and not sleeping, half-open eyes and looking over the tip of the nose. There are so many methods. That is called meditation. But this kind of meditation is very, very difficult in this age. If one can perform, it is welcome, but it is very difficult. In the Kali-yuga, if I sit down to meditate upon, then I shall think of my family, my business, my friend, so many things. It is not possible. Therefore śāstra recommends,

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

(SB 12.3.52)

In the kṛte, means Satya-yuga, when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years, at that time it was possible. Just like Valmiki Muni meditated for sixty thousands of years. So actually this meditation, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, the yogic system, it is recommended in the śāstras, the Bhagavad-gītā also it is there, but in this age it is not possible. Even Arjuna denied. "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending me to undergo the process of yoga, but it is not possible." Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram (BG 6.34). "It is not possible." But Arjuna was a pure devotee. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other business. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, to encourage Arjuna, He said that "Don't be disappointed. Because you are thinking that you are unfit to meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu, don't be disappointed. The first-class yogī . . . you are first-class yogī." Why? Because,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

Anyone who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within the heart, he's first-class yogī. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. This is first-class yoga system. In this age, Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, in the śāstra also it is recommended, that harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21).

So we have to follow the injunction of the śāstra. We cannot manufacture our own ways of spiritual advancement. That is not possible.

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na sa siddhim avāpnoti

na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

(BG 16.23)

Anyone who transgresses the regulative principles recommended in the śāstra, śāstra-vidhi, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya, giving up śāstra-vidhi, vartate kāma-kārataḥ, whimsically does something, na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti, he never gets success. He'll never be successful. Na siddhiṁ na parāṁ gati: neither he gets salvation. Na siddhim, na sukham: neither even any material happiness. So we must accept the śāstra vidhi. Śāstra-vidhi, as it is . . . in the śāstra it is said, I have already quoted, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt.

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

(SB 12.3.52)

In this age the śāstra-vidhi is hari-kīrtana. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the more you become perfect. This is śāstra-vidhi. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. We have to be fixed up, first of all, what is the injunction of the śāstra. Then what the sādhus, those who are devotees, what they are doing. What they are doing, sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And what guru is asking. We have to follow these three principles. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya tīnete koriyā aikya. Who is sādhu? Who is abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Or guru? Guru means he's also abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Then he's guru, he's sādhu. He's sādhu. And if one, śāstra vidhim, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya . . . if śāstra-vidhi you give up, then where is the question of guru and sādhu? Na siddhim. He's not siddha. He has not attained the perfection, because he has rejected the principles of śāstra. So he's bogus. We have to test like that, who is guru.

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upasamāśrayam

(SB 11.3.21)

The śāstra says who is guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. One has to surrender to guru. That is, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One must approach guru. This is vidhiliṅ. Not that it is optional, I may accept the guru or not accept guru. No. Must. Gacchet. Gacchet means he must. It is vidhiliṅ. This verb is used where the purport is "one must." Otherwise, it is not possible. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. And who will go to guru? It is not a fashion, that we make some guru and we are engaged in our own business, and I can say in the society, "Oh, I have got a big guru who can show magic." No. Guru is necessary for him who is inquisitive of transcendental subject matter. He requires a guru. Not ordinary man. Just like somebody keeps some cats and dogs as fashion. Guru is not like that. Guru means one . . . first of all, who requires a guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21): one who is inquisitive to know about the spiritual world. Uttamam. Uttamam means ud-gata tamam: transcendental to this darkness. This material world is called darkness, ignorance. Actually it is dark. Because it is dark, material world, therefore we require the sun. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we have got the sun. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ (BS 5.52). He is the light of all the planets. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means sun. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. This is Gāyatrī-mantra. So who requires a guru? Jijñāsuḥ śreyaḥ uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who wants to go beyond this world of darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. This is Vedic injunction. Don't remain in this darkness. Jyotir gama: go to the world where light is there.

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(BS 5.40)

Yasya prabhā, that spiritual world is full of effulgence. Just like we have got example: the sun planet, sun globe, there is no darkness. There is always light. On account of presence of the sun, we are getting so much light and heat; just imagine what is the position in the sun globe, sun planet. It is always light. This is the example. Similarly, in the spiritual world, it is only light. Not only this light, but the light of knowledge. Therefore śāstra says, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in the darkness." Jyotir gama. Jyotir gama: "Come into the light."

So one who requires to go to the world of light, he requires a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive. Everyone is jijñāsuḥ. We go to the market to purchase something, we are also jijñāsuḥ there: "What is the price of this? What is the price of that?" That is also inquiry. But not . . . inquiry is not like that, as we go to the market and inquire about the price, or sometimes we go to the share market and other material markets. That is also . . . inquiry is the life—but not material inquiry. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreya, śreya means ultimate goal of life. In the material world, there is no question of śreya; it is all preya. There are two things: preya and śreya. Immediate benefit, that is called preya. Just like child. If you ask child to sit down and read book, he would not like. If you offer one laddu, he will immediately accept. A small child, we see, you have seen: we distribute biscuits, and immediately, the small child, immediately he knows how to take it and put it in the mouth. This is called preya, "dear." They do not know anything else. If you give him poison, he will like to eat. This is child's nature. So if you ask the child, "Now you sit down and read books and write," he would not like. That is called śreya. To become educated is good for him for future, but he doesn't like. But if we give him one laddu, immediately he'll accept. This is the distinction between śreya and preya.

So we must be interested in śreya, not preya. Preya is sense gratification. The material life, sense gratification is only required. This is material world. Yan maithunādi gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). This śreya, or this preya, very dear things; ultimately, sex life, maithunādi . . . (break) . . . married, the same sex life. Then he gets some children. Then he again, grandsons. They go on. Yan maithunādi. Here, the happiness is centered round that sex life. Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45). And as soon as he enters into sex life, iva duḥkha-duḥkham, one after another, one after another, one after another. So this is preya. But śreya is how to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Therefore here it is said, yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam: how to be engaged in the worship of the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. That is possible. This ṣreya means sense gratification, culminating in sex life. That is available. That will be explained in the next verse.

sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā

deha-yogena dehinām

sarvatra labhyate daivād

yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ

(SB 7.6.3)

This will be explained.

So aindriya sukham, sense pleasure, that is available everywhere. Even cats and dogs, they have got sense pleasure. But human life is not meant for that purpose. Human life is meant for . . . this is the idea: yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam. This is required. They do not know it. Prahlāda Mahārāja another place said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Generally, those who are not trained up by guru, they do not know the svartha-gatim is Viṣṇu. Durāśayā. They are trying to be happy with this external energy, bahir-artha. Bahir, bahir-aṅga-śakti. Bahir-aṅga-śakti means this material world. So one who does not know what is the goal of life, they are interested in this bahir-aṅga-śakti, external energy. Therefore guru required, how to get him delivered from the clutches of external energy. Therefore guru required. One who is interested to get out of these activities of external energy, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), for him, guru is required. Don't make a guru as a fashion. That is useless. Then you get some guru who can manufacture gold, and you are interested in gold, so that kind of guru will be . . . no. Here it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapad . . . tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñāna means spiritual science. For that purpose, one requires a guru. Not for any other purpose.

So Arjuna also showed by example. Although he was talking as friend, he submitted to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Arjuna was talking directly with Kṛṣṇa. But because the relationship was affectionate friendship, there could not be any serious talk. Therefore Arjuna submitted that "Kṛṣṇa, we are talking like friends; it will never come to any serious. Now I accept You as my guru." Śiṣyas ye 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ (BG 2.7): "I am now perplexed." So when one is actually in knowledge, he feels perplexed. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless one feels perplexed in this materialistic way of life, his human life is imperfect. One must feel that this material world, actually it is not happiness. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, satya kari māni (CC Madhya 20.100): "I am minister, I am also born of a brāhmaṇa family." In India the brāhmaṇas are addressed as paṇḍitjī. So he says, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita kaha ei paṇḍita: "Just like ordinary relationship, village friendship, they call me paṇḍita." Paṇḍita means learned. "I also accept that I am paṇḍita. But actually I am not paṇḍita." Why not? Āpanāra hitāhita kichui nāhi jāni: "I do not know what is the goal of my life." Ask anyone what is the goal of life. He may be Ph.D., D.A.C., he does not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know.

Therefore if one is serious about understanding the value of life, the goal of life, he should approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Prapadyeta. Prapadyeta means to surrender. Not that guru should be approached for challenging. No. If you challenge, then you'll be cheated. First of all, you must find out a person who, if you can surrender there. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇipāt, surrender, that is required first. If you think somebody that he's not worth surrendering, then don't make him guru. Don't make a fashion. First of all you test that "Whether I can surrender?" Praṇipātena. Then try to understand. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. Not only surrendering, but also render service so that guru may be pleased that "This disciple is very humble, meek and giving service." Anywhere, even in material world, if you want to take something from somebody, if you please him by service, it is very easy. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsa (SB 11.3.21).

So, yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānām. Why one should seek after Viṣṇu? Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Because yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya. Everyone's dearmost. That we have forgotten. Actually Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, He's dearmost. He's also friend of everyone. When we understand this secret, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaraṁ suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Suhṛdam: He's actual friend. We go to friends for some help, but if we accept the natural friend, Kṛṣṇa, then there is no scarcity. Suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām. Therefore we should learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. That is the aim of life.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. (end)